Senate President Franklin Drilon yesterday challenged the Office of the Ombudsman to initiate its own investigation and file graft charges against Department of Agriculture and local government officials involved in the P728-million fertilizer scam.

Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez said her office has started the probe on the fertilizer fund scam.

Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella yesterday said that is not surprising, coming from Drilon, because he has been after those supporting the President because of his hatred for her.

This is a big telenovela, why are 95 percent of those being accused of involvement in the fertilizer scam coming from Region 6 where Drilon is from? he asked.

Where is Drilon in this whole thing? Puentevella asked, pointing out that the senate president was an ally of Arroyo in Region 6 until after the 2004 polls.

Puentevella, who was named by Senate witness Jose Barredo, as having been given an allocation of P5 million for liquid fertilizer but that he had asked that 75 percent of the amount be released in cash, denied the allegation, saying it was part of the black propaganda of the opposition.

Puentevella said he did not receive any cash, what was given to him was actual liquid fertilizer that had been distributed and can all be accounted for.

He said he is summoning Barredo, who said he was in charge of negotiating the fertilizer contracts, to the House for questioning and if he fails to show up they will hold him in contempt. Barredo told the Senate that he had also given P15,000 to a member of Puentevella's staff whom he identified as Monet.

Anybody who knows Monet will know that that is the biggest lie, Puentevella said, adding that he will prove that in Congress if Barredo shows up.

Drilon in asking Gutierrez to start her own investigation on the fertilizer anomaly, said that documents and testimonial evidence gathered by an ongoing Senate investigation can be made available to government anti-graft prosecutors for scrutiny and evaluation.

The Senate President made the call after government auditors confirmed on Thursday that the fertilizer used in the Ginintuang Masaganang program was overpriced by at least P127 million, a press statement from his office said.

The DA fund was reportedly managed by controversial former DA undersecretary Jocelyn "Jocjoc" Bolante, the alleged chief architect of the fertilizer fund program and a close associate of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, the press released added.

The opposition claimed the Arroyo administration had diverted the fertilizer funds to ensure the victory of President Arroyo in the May 2004 elections.

Documents from the COA showed that more than 100 members of the House of Representatives, 53 governors and 26 town mayors received between P3 million and P10 million each in fertilizer funds from the DA shortly before the May 2004 elections, the press release said.

"Considering the gravity of this mind-boggling corruption scheme and the reckless paper trail it left behind for everyone to see, I think it is now incumbent upon the Office of the Ombudsman to take over this case," Drilon said.

"The evidence is overwhelming. The COA itself said there was massive overpricing of fertilizer at the expense of our poor and starving farmers," he added.

Drilon said he was confident the Office of the Ombudsman would prosecute those responsible for pulling off the fertilizer scam. "I remember that when Ombudsman Gutierrez assumed office, she vowed that she will spare no one in the campaign against corruption in government. I am confident she will be true to her word," Drilon noted.

During the hearing, a broker also exposed an alleged conspiracy between DA officials and local politicians to skim off the fund for liquid fertilizer. Barredo said he met with congressmen, governors and mayors in their homes to persuade them to avail themselves of the DA fund by dangling an offer -- a 30-percent commission.

Puentevella said he was not among those who received any commission.*CPG

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